Titans at Chargers

The critical stage in Ryan Mathews’ return to the field was first getting cleared for contact.

He’s now reached it.

The Chargers running back practiced Thursday in a helmet and full pads, five weeks from the day he broke his clavicle in the preseason. The injury occurred Aug. 9 against the Packers on Mathews’ first exhibition carry.

He was given a four- to six-week timetable to recover.

Mathews was a limited participant at Thursday’s practice, doing individual drills and seeing light reps during the team sessions. He’ll have his final practice today to get ready for the Chargers’ home opener Sunday against the Titans.

It is unclear whether a decision has been made allowing Mathews to play Sunday.

The team will release his official status after today’s practice.

Mathews made it his goal to defy expectations with his recovery, working to be back on the field for the start of the season. He ended up missing Monday’s game, so Mathews pushed his goal to Sunday.

The third-year veteran, as he has in the past, compared himself to a “caged lion” Thursday, looking to rejoin his teammates.

“It’s a broken bone, so I had to wait,” Mathews said. “I just had fun being back out there with my team again, running routes and plays. ... I’m just doing what I need to do for myself to get stronger and faster and keep in shape.

“When (the athletic trainers) think it’s time for me to go, it’s going to be time for me to go. I felt like it was time for me to go last week, but it’s their decision. They’re the professionals at what they do.”

Last month, Turner praised Mathews’ ability to stay in shape despite the injury.

“As soon as that thing heals,” Turner said Aug. 28, “he’ll be ready to go.”

The coach was a little more vague about Mathews’ return date following Thursday’s padded practice. Mathews participated in individual drills last week and worked to the side Wednesday.

Against the Raiders on Monday night, the running backs combined for 17 carries for 22 yards, an average of 1.3 yards per handoff.

Curtis Brinkley led all backs with 10 carries for 12 yards. Ronnie Brown, who started, had five rushes for five yards, and fullback Le’Ron McClain added five yards on two carries.

McClain may not know when Mathews will return.

“When he does, watch out,” McClain said. “The dude’s been working hard. Even when he was using only one arm, he was still in there lifting and doing legs and trying to do his thing. Just watch out for him. I’m going to do whatever I can to move whoever I can out the way for him to get going.”

Gates held out

A rib injury couldn’t keep Antonio Gates off the field Monday against the Raiders.

Practice this week has been a different story.

The Chargers tight end missed his second straight day Thursday with rib soreness. His status for Sunday’s game against the Titans will be updated today.

Early indications have been Gates will play.

On Wednesday, Turner said that X-rays during Monday’s game showed Gates was “all right,” adding he expected Gates to practice Thursday. Gates called his absence “precautionary.”

“It’s always day to day with those kind of injuries,” Gates said.

Cornerback Quentin Jammer (broken hand) returned to a full practice after resting Wednesday. Cornerback Shareece Wright (sprained ankle) missed practice and has been ruled out for Sunday’s game.

Wide receiver Richard Goodman passed his concussion test after having his “bell rung,” he said, while running down a kickoff in the fourth quarter. He and nose tackle Antonio Garay (ankle) were full participants.

Left tackle Jared Gaither (back) missed practice, as he will Sunday’s game.

Blackout extension

It appears the Chargers home opener has a good chance of being televised in Southern California after all.

On Thursday, the NFL granted the team a 24-hour extension to sell its remaining unsold tickets, a positive sign it will dodge its second blacked-out opener in three years.

About 2,100 general tickets are available for purchase. They must be sold by 1:25 p.m. today.

It’s a more specific number than the team dangled the day before, announcing Wednesday that it was “several thousand” tickets shy from a sellout.

In 2010, the Chargers home opener against the Jaguars was blacked out. More than 7,000 general tickets were unsold at this same stage.